Malawi

24 September 2024

In 2024, southern Africa is experiencing its worst drought in 100 years as a result of El Niño. Approximately 61 million people need assistance, with over 20 million experiencing Crisis (IPC Phase 3) food insecurity levels. Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe have declared a state of emergency in response to the severe drought. There has also been a significant increase in malnutrition cases in Angola, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia, with expectations for the trend to continue into the first quarter of 2025. (OCHA 20/09/2024, OCHA 19/09/2024)

15 July 2024

In Malawi, approximately 5.7 million people (28% of the population assessed) are expected to face Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse food insecurity from October 2024 to March 2025, with 416,000 likely facing Emergency (IPC Phase 4) conditions mainly because of inflation, economic slowdown, and the droughts and floods resulting from El Niño. 2024 records a five-year high of 5,692,122 people expected to face acute food insecurity during the October–March projection period, which aligns with the typical lean season. In March 2024, Malawi declared a state of disaster in 23 districts in response to the prolonged dry spells and floods experienced between October 2023 and March 2024. These conditions affected harvests, with the 2024 maize production reported in July to have dropped by 17% compared to the previous season (to 2.9 million MT from 3.5 million MT). Urgent needs include food and nutritional assistance. (IPC 05/07/2024, Malawi 24 23/03/2024, Nyasa Times 05/07/2024)

26 March 2024

On 23 March 2024, the President of Malawi declared a state of disaster in 23 of the country's 28 districts in response to food insecurity aggravated by El Niño. The effects of the phenomenon (insufficient rainfall, floods, and prolonged dry spells) have resulted in farmland damage, leading the Government to make the declaration. Between October 2023 and March 2024, 4.4 million people were projected to face Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse food insecurity levels. The numbers may increase in the coming months, as two million farming households have been affected and 44.3% of national cropland has suffered damage. The most pressing need in all affected districts is food. (Malawi Voice 23/03/2024, MENAFN 24/03/2024, OCHA/RIASCO 12/03/2024)

22 February 2024

A persistent dry spell since mid-January 2024 resulting from the impact of El Nino will likely worsen food insecurity in Malawi. Most farmers are in danger, as most of them have been experiencing acute food shortages since April 2023 given the impact of Cyclone Freddy, which affected most parts of the south. Between October 2023 to March 2024, 4.4 million people faced Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse food insecurity levels. (The Nation 19/02/2024, IPC 18/08/2023)

25 June 2023

As at 22 June, 38 IDP camps were still active, sheltering over 78,000 people from the impact of Cyclone Freddy. The cyclone significantly affected food security, with over two million farmers losing their livestock and crops and more than 179,000 hectares of agricultural land being destroyed, adding 1.6 million people to the 3.8 million Malawians who were already experiencing acute food insecurity before Cyclone Freddy’s landfall. (WHO 25/06/2023, USAID 23/06/2023, IPS 30/03/2023)

05 June 2023

Between 17–26 May 2023, Malawian authorities detained 902 refugees and asylum seekers after the deadline for relocation to the Dzaleka refugee camp elapsed on 15 April. The strict policy of encampment is attributed to the allegations that refugees and asylum seekers pose economic challenges and security risks. As at May 2023, the Dzaleka refugee camp designed to accommodate 12,000 refugees hosted an estimated 50,600 refugees, including 32,000 from Congo, 11,000 from Burundi, and 6,000 from Rwanda. The overcrowded camp cannot adequately meet the needs of the refugees in terms of food, healthcare, water, shelter, and sanitation. (HRW 05/06/2023, UNHCR 24/05/2023)

23 May 2023

As at May 2023, the food insecurity situation in Malawi had put over 573,000 children under five and 228,000 pregnant and lactating women at risk of malnutrition. Over 62,000 children are at risk of severe malnutrition throughout this year as a result of the environmental crisis, disease outbreaks, and global economic disruptions.

In February–March 2023, Cyclone Freddy made landfall twice and caused significant damage, including the loss of critical infrastructure and livelihoods, with 300,000 livestock and 200,000 hectares of crops being lost. The agricultural sector has been particularly hard-hit, with over 1.4 million individuals affected, of whom 280,000 are in urgent need of emergency assistance. Those who are at risk of malnutrition and have been affected by Cyclone Freddy need food, nutrition, health services, WASH, shelter, and NFIs.
(UNICEF 19/05/2023, FAO 17/05/2023, UNICEF Accessed 23/05/2023)